Page 25 of We Thought We Knew It All
“Give me some news from base, I beg of you. I’m dying being away from the guys.”
He laughed. “Franks kicked Manner out of the barracks last night. Made him sleep under the stars and we all got a much-needed respite from his chainsaw snores.”
Laughing like that felt good. I missed my team. The fact that they weren’t exactly my team anymore would take a while to set in. “I shoulda thought of that. Can’t tell you how many times I came close to suffocating the fool with his own pillow.”
“So, Carlson tells us you’re out.”
“Yep, told me that too.”
“Discharge?”
“Nah, I hadn’t re-upped yet. They’re calling it retirement, but really it’s them telling me I’m not good enough to watch your asses anymore.”
“Something wrong with your eyes?”
Leave it to Barrette to make a joke out of the end of my career.
“Ha-ha asshole.”
“You good?”
I knew what he was asking, but didn’t know how to answer that. Did I tell him that I had no clue what happened next and that scared the shit out of me? Or that things here were screwed up, and it was my fault? My brother. My best friend. At least Callie was speaking to me.
No, I told him what he wanted to hear.
“Yeah, bro. All good here.”
“Good, good. Listen, I just wanted to check up on you.”
“Aw.” I laughed. “I’m touched.”
“We’re heading out at 0800 tomorrow for parts unknown.” Known to them, unknown to us suckers that were left here. “It’ll be a long one. They’re saying six months, but you know how these things go.”
I did. Six months could mean two or it could mean ten. They wouldn’t know the true situation until they were well into their mission.
“Good luck, man,” I said. “Come back in one piece.”
“I’ll do my best. Don’t fall off the face of the earth, Jamie. We’re brothers whether you wear the uniform or not. If you disappear, I’ll never forgive you.”
“You got it.”
We hung up, and I pulled out of Callie’s driveway.
We’re brothers. If you disappear, I’ll never forgive you.
That was exactly what I’d done.
Jay wasn’t ready to hear anything I had to say, but there was someone who might be. I texted Callie for her brother’s address and she responded.
It was only a few minutes away. I scanned the parking lot of the apartment building, but then realized I was looking for Colby’s old car. I had no idea what he drove now.
His place was on the third floor of the modern building. I raised my hand to knock, hesitating for just a second before rapping my knuckles against the solid wood.
No one came. I knocked again and was about to turn back when the door opened, revealing a tired looking Colby in navy blue hospital scrubs. His glasses were pushed up into his hair and he rubbed a hand against his eyes.
“Jamie,” he said, surprised.
“Uh, hey. If this is a bad time…”
